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We study analytically the dynamic response of membrane aerofoils subject to arbitrary, small-amplitude chord motions and transverse gusts in a two-dimensional inviscid incompressible flow. The theoretical model assumes linear deformations of an extensible membrane under constant tension, which are coupled aeroelastically to external aerodynamic loads using unsteady thin aerofoil theory. The structural and aerodynamic membrane responses are investigated for harmonic heave oscillations, an instantaneous change in angle of attack, sinusoidal transverse gusts and a sharp-edged gust. The unsteady lift responses for these scenarios produce aeroelastic extensions to the Theodorsen, Wagner, Sears and Küssner functions, respectively, for a membrane aerofoil. These extensions incorporate for the first time membrane fluid–structure interaction into the expressions for the unsteady lift response of a flexible aerofoil. The indicial responses to step changes in the angle of attack or gust profile are characterised by a slower lift response in short times relative to the classical rigid-plate response, while achieving a significantly higher asymptotic lift at long times due to aeroelastic camber. The unsteady lift for harmonic gusts or heaving motions follows closely the rigid plate lift responses at low reduced frequencies but with a reduced lift amplitude and greater phase lag. However, as the reduced frequency approaches the resonance of the fluid-loaded membrane, the lift response amplitude increases abruptly and is followed by a sharp decrease. This behaviour reveals a frequency region, controlled by the membrane tension coefficient, for which membrane aerofoils could possess substantial aerodynamic benefits over rigid aerofoils in unsteady flow conditions.
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Physics and Modeling of Large Flow Disturbances: Discrete Gust Encounters for Modern Air Vehicles
Gusts of moderate and large magnitude induce flow separation and other complexities when they interact with the lifting surfaces of air vehicles. The presence of these nonlinear gusts are becoming ubiquitous in twenty-first-century air vehicles, where the classic potential flow–based methodologies applied in the past may no longer be valid. In this review, we define the parameter space for the presence of large-amplitude gusts and describe where and when these gusts may primarily be found. Recent research using modern experimental and computational techniques to define the limits of classical unsteady and indicial aerodynamic theories is summarized, with a focus on discrete transverse, streamwise (longitudinal), and vortex gust encounters. We propose areas where future research is needed to transition these studies of large-amplitude gust physics to real-time prediction and mitigation during flight.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2003951
- PAR ID:
- 10317003
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics
- Volume:
- 54
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0066-4189
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-fluid-031621-085520
